Jessie waltzed along with Ian to the site, the five stones still sitting in their normal places. The ring of five stones showing their shadowy chiseled pictures in the deep morning rays of sunlight. The first stone of the ring was shaking slowly. Jessie jumped, picking it up, a small gopher beneath it.
Ian frowned, sitting under the faultering rays of light. He could almost not believe what he saw, how the stone took Jessie into it, her carving aiding the original one. Jessie and the mysterious figure...Cham Cham?
"Silly gopher!" she scoffed at the creature. Strangely enough, in her hands, the stone took on the green glow as it did in her dream. The cat-like figure on it began to move, swiftly disappearing. Jessie leapt back, its radiance keeping her from putting it down. "Th-The first stone..." The green aura surrounded her quickly enough.
She woke up in another place, in a hot damp, humid jungle. Trees towered up so high it was hard to know where horizon was. Sounds of the wildlife buzzed around her, making her uneasy.
"He-Hello?" she yelled nervously, glancing around. A large animal rushed through the bushes behind her, startling her.
"Ian?" she looked around. She backed up against a tree, her bluegreen eyes widened with fear. "Anyone?"
"Mrrrowwwl!" a long catlike howl echoed around her, a boomerang springing from the underbrush, coming at least a foot in front of her face before retracting back to its owner, only a shadow in the dark jungle. The slender, feminine figure had long hair, about waistlength, at pointed ears atop its head, a tail whipping about beside her. She caught the boomerang with ease, a simple graceful movement of her oversized hand...no wait, paw!?
"Whoa!! What are you!?" Jessie stepped back, grabbing onto the tree. Her fear was evident, for Jessie wasn't very notable for her bravery.
The figure stepped into view, a gentle purring heard. A catgirl with the long silky mane of green and puma-like ears, her short dress adorned with tigerstripes, lined with soft white downy fur. She had the normal human skin, with the exception of the ears, tail, and paws. Her paws and feet matched the outfit, her tail claiming the same, her eyes of a deep emerald. She smiled, clipping her boomerang to her belt. "I am Cham Cham Tig'erre Le'Purrde," she said coaxingly.
Jessie blinked and smiled. "Cham Cham...you're the first soul!" she exclaimed, falling to her knees. "It's such an honor to be in your presence!"
Cham's ears lay back against her head, taking a step back. "Y-Yes...don't make such a big deal of it," she purred nervously. "It's not that great being a lost soul, really!"
Jessie stood, taking out a small necklace, the charm being a carved lightning bolt shape, eerily glowing orange. "I can be neko-jin, too," she smiled, putting on the necklace. The same tangerine glow spead across Jessie's body, her feet turning into hind feet of a catgirl, her hands becoming furred gently with a calico pattern, a tail sprouting from behind, pointed ears poking through her reddish hair.
The natural catgirl purred softly. "Impressive, I suppose..." she sighed, trying to act nice. "You've never told me your name yet," she added.
"Ah! I'm sorry...my name's Jessica Chrono, but feel free to call me Jessie," she held out her paw. Cham shook with her, giving her a curt nod.
"I suppose it's a pleasure meeting you, Jessie. At least I know of another member of my specie...even though you are not a natural born catgirl," she said, strands of her green hair getting caught up over her left eye.
"To be a catgirl and an ancient soul... shouldn't that be rare?" the girl wandered along the forest aimlessly.
"Not when it's your destiny. When you're an ancient soul, it means you are uniquely powered in your specie," Cham noted.
Jessie nodded, glancing around at the foreign surroundings, noticing how gorgeous the orchids grew here, all of any color imaginable--except orange. She took it in consideration about her quarrel with the gnome, his words almost echoing in her head. 'Orchid of astounding beauty and grace, more than any majestic space, an undefined cure for the tense unease, long curse this disease!' She had found the cure, but strangely enough, it almost seemed too easy.
"Come with me, I'll take you to my home for some jungle leaf tea, I suppose. Wait until Jaye-chan hears about you!" Cham led the way through the forest trails, the scenery of the waterfalls gorgeously surrounding, making Jessie's senses come to a familiar.
"These waterfalls! Do you know of the Crossrealms and the Warrior Realm?" Jessie jumped, looking around. These waterfalls were in the East Woodland only, a jungle-like terrain between the Crossrealms and the Warrior Realm.
"I know of those places," Cham sighed, nodding with a hint of sorrow, "I know of the Nightmare Realm, too." She kept trodding strongly through the forest, reaching a small den-like cottage in a tree.
"You don't seem fond of it," Jessie noted. "May I inquire why?" her eyes fixed on Cham curiously, stopping in the path.
"Because many bad things happen to me there. I don't want to get into any more trouble than I have to," she said, her paws balling up into pain-filled fists. Cham bowed her head, long tresses of green hair masking her emotion. Jessie saw the sudden shimmer of a tear fall from her and bit her lip, feeling foolish.
"I-I'm so sorry...I didn't mean, Cham..." Jessie lost her words, wrapping her arms around Cham in a strong embrace. Jessie couldn't say much, because her actions were plenty. Her heart shown through, comforting and aiding Cham, helping her to the den.
Four kits greet their mother, inquiring why she was crying and why there was a stranger in their house. Cham smiled, wiping tears from her eyes. "She's got powers such as I do, children," she said.
Jessie shook her head. "I don't have the soul powers. I just seek out the souls because they've been in my dreams...I want to meet them," she said, smiling gently to the young catpeople.
The first male, with spiky green hair, the markings of a white tiger, a crimson bandanna tied across his forehead stepped up to Jessie. His tail swayed slowly, giving her a curious glance. "Why do you come here? Okaasan [Mother] has special powers?" he asked.
Cham nodded, in the kitchen, making cups of tea for her guest and herself. "Yes, Ram-kun, I have special powers. You're too young to understand right now, sweetheart. I'll tell you later," she said. "This is Jessie Chrono. She's a guest from another realm trying to find out what her dreams are about," Cham smiled, pouring the tea, setting it gently in front of Jessie.
"Wow! Ohayo, Jessie-chan!" the only female, Tani bounced over to her, sitting next to her. Tani long white hair, a cute little bow-barrette in it, the markings of a white tiger like Ram, the emerald eyes of her mother.
"Hello, little one!" Jessie smiled, waving to the young girl. Jessie's eyes traced over to the young boy at the videophone, talking on about how beautiful the little catgirl reciever was. He had white hair, too, styled in a specific style, his eyes icy blue, a bit of neko charm hidden in him.
"Nuka! Ask Alyssa if her mother will come over," Cham requested the vidphone happy kit.
"Alright, Okaasan!" he talked with the young girl some more before she finally disappeared from the view sensor. She came back shortly, telling him her mother's reply. "She said yes, Okaasan!"
"Great!" Cham purred, putting on another pot of jungle leaf tea, its strong sweet aroma filling the den. "Jessie, Jaye-chan's a familiar around in the realms, have you met her before?"
"I don't know...I've met many people before, it could be possible we've met," she shrugged, pondering back when she last saw a catperson in the realms.
"Anyway, if you haven't already, you will now. Mild warning, though; Jaye can get frisky, but it's doubtful she will with kits around. You didn't bring any men with you, I hope," Cham laughed.
Jessie shook her head, thinking about Ian. "If he is here, he would've found us by now. I'm sure he's still at the circle of ancient souls," she smiled, cheering herself up from thinking about being without him.
"Ah, good..." Cham smiled, sipping her tea gently. "Razor's out hunting, so it shouldn't be any temptation to her to go wild."
"'Wild?'" Jessie arched her eyebrow.
"I'll tell you later...kits around, remember," she said, pointing down to Chu, the portly kit with the green and white streaked hair.
"I want food, Mama! Chu! Food!" Chu pulled on Cham's dress impatiently. "Hungry!"
"Chu-kun, you'll live. Go play with the others. Tasuki, Alyssa, Jackie, and Jaye will be over soon," she smiled, pushing him towards the other kits.
A gentle knock came at Cham's door, meowing of kits outside. Nuka bound over to the door, opening it for their expected guests, wrapping his arms around Alyssa. "Aly-chan daisuki! [I love Miss Alyssa!]" he exclaimed, giggling.
Jaye stepped in, a very slender form covered with a light, soft black fur, white stripes marking all around. She wore no clothing, her long red hair falling upon her shoulders, her crystal-like eyes sparkling, tail twitching. "Konnichi wa," she smiled, carrying her basket at her side. The other two of her kits ran from behind her, scurrying to Cham's kits.
Jessie turned and smiled to the visitor. "Hello...you're Jaye, right?" she asked, holding out her paw shyly.
Jaye nodded, shaking her paw. "I didn't know there were many more of our specie! What's your name?" she laughed, flicking fiery hair from her eyes.
"Ah...I'm catgirl by curse, but my name's Jessica Chrono. Feel free to call me Jessie," she smiled, diverting her attention to the playing kits. Tasuki and Tani flirted with each other playing and tackling each other. Nuka and Alyssa exchanged flattering words towards each other, his placing a rose delicately into her long white hair, grooming her honey-furred paws. Chu sat, admiring Jackie's graceful powers, Jackie using them on Ram to irritate him.
"Jackie! If you're going to do that, go outside!" scoffed Jaye, shaking her head from Jackie's use for her powers.
"Hai, okaasan," she laughed, bounding outside, levitating Ram behind her, against his will. The portly kit of Cham's followed behind closely, laughing at the predicament his brother is in.
Jaye and Cham looked at each other, shaking their heads. A distant "Ouch!" and "Oof!" was heard, then a strangely loud "Zap!" heard. The mothers' eyes opened wide, rushing to the window. They peered out, seeing all three cats lying on the ground, looking unconscious.
"Chu Chu! Ram Ram!" Cham rushed out to her two kits.
"Jackie-chan!" exclaimed Jaye, scooping up the female kit, checking to see if she were breathing. Seeing all three were fine, the went back into the house, lying them down.
"Ram! Don't use your lightning powers so harshly! You could've killed someone!" scolded Cham.
Ram looked down, his ears drooping. "Gomen nasai, okaasan [I'm very sorry, mother]" he sighed, plopping down, his bandanna falling over his eyes.
"Jackie! Don't taunt Ram...I know it's tempting and such, but still, he could hurt someone and I don't want it to be all blamed on you, understand?" Jaye snapped.
"Hai...gomen [Yes...sorry]," Jackie sighed impatiently, ready to pester Ram again.
Who in the hell is this figure? Why is Jessie now beside her? This is getting too strange for me to handle. I hope you're okay, Jess. He thought a while, studying the surrounding stones. He picked up the book lying on the ground, taking notice of its content.
"The first spirit," he read aloud, "was the strongly-willed fierce catgirl Cham Cham Tig'erre Le'Purrde. She had fought in many battle as a young one, soon tamed by human life. Her sopistication surpasses even some humans." He glanced up from the book, shaking his head. "Jessie has met another neko-jin?"
